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RP: YSS Aeon [Mission 8.6] Forging a new beginning

Vas'Sumera accepted the gift and looked it over. "A fine sword indeed," she said with a smile and then handed it off to one of the guards. "Please keep this safe," she said to the guard before turning toward Misaki.

"I do indeed desire a spar, it is our tradition, as it helps us to see who a person is," stated Vas'Sumera as she glanced down at the twin swords she had hanging from her side. "It wouldn't do to spar in the conference room, as we could damage the furniture," she smiled and looked around the bay, as her words the security along with the royal guards all backed off to a safe distance. Kata'nova did so as well, although she was still a bit closer than the rest.

"Do you desire this to be a one handed match, or does it not matter to you?" she asked as she replaced a hand from the hilt of one of her blades.
 
"It does not matter to me. Are there any rules that are typically adhered to?" Misaki asked without a pause, though she did not offer to handicap herself, she would have to do her best without arousing too much of a fuss, the old soldier did not know if their scanners had already detected the relative strength of a Nekovalkryja compared to their own yet, though the XO did expect it given how quickly she was sure entries on Kata'nova ended up with Star Army Intelligence.

Waiting for the rules, the officer bowed formerly in respect to her opponent, and waited to see how things would begin. The last time she drew a weapon on a foreign planet it was for good reason, and there was no chance she intended to have it end like it did back then, though at least she was not underwater.

"I defer to your preferences."
 
"There are no actual rules that govern these bouts, save one, that no attacks can be done with the intention of causing death," Vas'Sumera said and took a few steps back to create some distance. "Injuries, on the other hand, are permitted." The security around the area seemed a bit unsure about this, but they didnt' seem to cause a stir either - instead they formed a kind of ring around the two. "In any case, this shall be a match with no preference on the usage of weapons, save that that they must be swords."

Toward the rear, Kata'nova watched with worry on her face.

If Kata'nova's report is to be believed, this bout should prove quite interesting... Vas'Sumera smiled as drew both of her swords and took up a stance with one sword positioned above her head and another in front of her.
 
Misaki was slightly worried about using a sword made of Yamataium, but the rules insisted they must use swords. The XO drew her sword, the larger one she had with her most of the time, and adapted the same stance she did in her practice, which often involved crewmembers learning swordplay beyond what their army training had given them. She was not clear on how much training the Vas'Sumera had, but she imagined it was possible the leader of a military society would be well-versed in combat.

"I am prepared." She wanted to have the other woman attack first, to use her digital mind to capture how much force she was capable of exerting, and possibly as much as she could about her form so she would be able to offer a good enough duel without causing serious harm. Most of her training, even with the sword, was based around killing and not incapacitating a foe, but she had been at the art long enough to not pose a great danger to the foreign leader, at least she hoped. Harming the Empress too much, and one that was so beautiful, would not go over well with just about anyone. She hoped the fact her sword could give her more reach would mean she could control the match more.
 
Josea stood to the side with his FARS recording the scene. He pondered the concept of dueling as a test. But given the unknowns, it seemed like a very precarious maneuver. Two races who have no idea of the others ability taking blades to each other. It definitely showed a degree of trust. but he couldn't help but wonder how many 'first encounters' went wrong with such a routine.

At least this one would be well documented, and it was his fervent hope without any bloodshed.
 
Vas'Sumera smiled, but didn't say anything; she breathed in a few times, then exhaled slowly. The girl closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. She watched Misaki, studied the stance that the other had taken, noting the position of the sword in relation to her and then figured out the best possible method of attempting to knock it aside. Of course, this is someone unlike what we have in our Kingdom, traditional techniques may very well not work against someone like her, this is an entirely new learning experience, a flash of a grin appeared on her face for only a second. This will be enjoyable.

"As am I," she said, she placed one of her blades back into its sheath and then adopted a defensive stance where her sword was held just above her head with both hands clasped around it - but the other sword, the one she put away, wasn't out of reach if she actually needed it - and she did plan to employ it, but why use two swords right off the bat against an unknown? Better to deploy them when they weren't expected.
 
Misaki ran through her first motion in her digital mind again to ensure the amount of power she planned to use would not be unacceptable and then struck. It was fast, and she moved forward, rather than be too clever for the first contact with their blades. She had no desire to make it anything but a good match where the leader of their newest contact was anything but pleased with her, and her people. She found the idea of an Empress that fought pleasing, as if someone designed to impress her were flesh in form in front of her.

The XO also purposefully struck in a way she expected to be blocked, but even if her sword and strength were overpowered, would not end up striking a part of the body, but rather swinging through and hitting nothing. It was jut her hope that the first time their metal sang together she would start to understand her opponent. The path of the sword made for powerful understanding of the self and others, they had always told her.
 
Vas'Sumera waited a few breaths until the sword was nearly on top of her before she brought her own blade up to meet it, pressing hard against it - she could feel the strength behind it, but also, something else. I see, their appearance hides their true capabilities, the Queen thought as she allowed the blade to slide off and then stepped to the side to deliver a quick counter-attack, bringing her blade up near the opponents shoulder; she knew that this attack could be easily blocked but she also wanted to test this soldiers reflexes.
 
Misaki blocked the Queen smoothly, realizing that they were both testing each other, she made sure to make it rather fast, but she did not want to reveal what her body was capable of if she had a choice in the matter. It was a friendly duel, not a good time to rub the Empire's technology in the face of a cute sovereign. After that, the XO stepped to one side and smoothly struck for the woman's arm, accepting her invitation to dance as much as anything, in an attempt to let their blades touch in a good show, as much as a test for each other. She had no real desire to strike her with her blade, but realized she might need to in case the duel went on for too long, as honor dictated she could not take a blow that was intended on her own. Though it was shaping up to be a good exercise at the very least, in her mind. The strength of the Queen was obvious to her, even for a full biologic.
 
Vas'Sumera parried the attack toward her arm, bringing the sword up in an attempt to strike Misaki on the lower part of her body; all around them people watched, no one said a word, even the machinery that had been humming minutes earlier was eerily quiet now, the only thing that could be heard were the two swords meeting each other. It was an interesting fight and Vas'Sumera knew that this skirmish was going to teach her quite a bit about this species and how best to deal with them for negotiations. Although she knew that somewhere nearby, a person from Or'ion was almost certainly recording the skirmish despite her orders 'not' to do so.
 
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